Hello! I’m Ivana. (And that’s Alex, the guy who made sure I didn’t die jumping 13,000 feet out of the air. Great guy.)

When I’m not partaking in high-risk adrenaline activities, I enjoy candlelit dinners, long walks on the beach sharing stories about my travels!

I can’t pinpoint exactly when I caught the travel bug, but after coming home from a study abroad semester in Spain, I knew I would not be able to sit still for long. As much as I love Canada, I also love to leave it.

As a full-time student, my travel opportunities were limited to school holidays and summer vacation. When I graduated, I decided to put off finding a “real” job and head back to Granada, Spain to spend a year pursuing two of my passions: travel and teaching. Working as an Auxiliar de Conversación – essentially an English teaching assistant – gave me a way to make money while taking advantage of cheap European travel.

Now back in Canada, I have realized that the nomadic life isn’t for me. I need roots and relationships, but that won’t stop me from taking every opportunity to experience someplace new.

The blog

You might recognize me as Canadian Girl Meets World. For several reasons that I didn’t anticipate when choosing that name, I decided it was time to make a change. Canadian Girl Meets world was about jetting off to see the world but always finding my way home. In many ways, Cabin to Coastline is much the same.

Though I was not born here, I am very much Canadian. My blood is actually maple syrup and I live in an igloo. Jokes aside, I identify very strongly with the place I call home. I am lucky enough to have been raised just a short drive (okay, short for us Canucks) from the most beautiful place in the world. I know I’ve only scratched the surface of the great, big planet, but I’m certain there’s no place on Earth that will make my heart sing the way the Alberta Rockies do.

But, while the mountains are always calling, the wannabe Spaniard in me is drawn to the beach, too. The sea just has this effect on you, y’know? Hence the name Cabin to Coastline.

These are my adventures, from sea to summit and everywhere in between. I hope you’ll join me.

I’ll share my tips for travelling on a budget, stories and advice about places I visit (and re-visit), and answer any burning questions you may have about living or teaching abroad. There will be photos. Lots of them. (By the way, are we following each other on Instagram?)

More About Me

Books

When I’m not working or writing, you’ll find me with a book in my hand. Reading has shaped my ideologies, my interests, and the way I see the world. My favourites include Pride and Prejudice, 1984, and The Kite Runner. My modest reading goal for this year is 20 books.

Veganism

In 2014, I made the switch to vegetarianism, and early in 2018 I decided to go vegan. The more I read about the agriculture industry, the more I wondered why I was contributing to cruelty despite my huge love of animals. While it will take a lot more than just me to create a sustainable, humane world to live in, I believe it’s important as an individual to be aware of the consequences of my lifestyle choices.

Language learning

I have been bilingual for as long as I can remember, which is probably what influenced my knack for foreign languages. Currently, my focus is on Spanish. In 2015, I decided to immerse myself in the rich culture of Andalucía. That’s where this whole blogging adventure begins: my now second home, Granada.

Now that you know a little bit about me, I’d like to get to know you. Leave me a comment and tell me about yourself. Let’s connect on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest, too!